Fire-escape



(NoMorleL) P. SMITH.

FIRE ESCAPE. v Patented Aug. 14, 1883.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

1 ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PE ER sMITH, or CATO, KANsns.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,158, dated August 14, 1883.

Application filed April 27, 71883. lNo model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

. Be it known that I, PETER SMITH, of Cato, Crawford county, Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My improved fire-escape consists of means Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in.

whichsimilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved fire escape "benches and part of the canvas web. the whole apparatus ona reduced scale, and Fig. 3 is a detail of the weighted-cord contrivance.

For stretching a canvas or other web, A, for an elastic device to break the fall of persons jumping from burning buildings; I propose to use benches c to suspend pulleys b, by which I propose to hold the canvas by weights 6 and cords f, the benches being of suitable 7 height to allow the requisite range of the cancanvas.

vas for descent to avoid breaking the fall too suddenlysay eight or ten feet-four of the benches being used, one to each corner of the Besides the canvas web I propose in practice to have another web of twine, g, be-

low the canvas for re-enforcing it, and will employ separate pulleys b for the cords f of said web, placing the pulleys side by side, and either connecting the cords of both webs to the same weight orto separate weights. Theropes will be connected to the webs by rings h, so

that in case it may not be required to use the wholelength of the canvas web the ropes may be disconnected fromsome of the rings. The

pulleys will be slung from the tops a of the benches by metal loop-hangers i, in which the Fig. 2 is a plan view of pivots j of the pulleys have bearings, and which are suspended from cross-bars k in the slots Zof the tops of the benches, or other equivalent means.

The legs m of the benches are to be detachably fastened to the top by dovetail notches and tenons n, in which they are to be secured by a spring, 0, to allow of quickly putting the benches together for setting them up, it being intended that they shall be takenapart for I loading on a truck compactly to be carried to and from a fire. The legs are to have extension-sections p, connected by guide-clips q, and having fastening-clamps s, to enable them .to be .set level on uneven ground, and they are to be connected by braces consisting of ring 25 and bars a, the latter beingdetachably fastened to the legs by the slotted plate '0 and turn-button w, to facilitate the setting up and taking down of the benches. The ring tserves for connecting the bars of the several legs of a bench together, and at the same time affords open space in which the weight may rise and fall. By thus providing for the ready setting up and taking down of the benches it will be seen that their usefulness will be much i11- creased by the convenience thus afforded for storing them when not in use, and for moving them to and from the place of using them.

Instead of connecting the twine-web ropes to the same weights that the canvas-webropes are connected to, I intend in some cases to provide it with separate weights, and to so arrange it that it will be located about a foot below. the canvas web for coming into action with the canvas when the canvas has been Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A canvas fall-breaker suspended on pulleys by weights and cords, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a canvas fall-breaker,

of a canvas web, a, re-enforcing twine web 9, independent suspending-ropes f f and pulleys b, and weights 6, substantially as described. a 3. The improved fall-breaker suspendingbench, consisting of top a, detachable legs m,

2 I name the brace-ring t, and barsu, said bars ubeing leg supporting braces having a connecting detachably connected to the legs, substantially central ring for clearance of the Weight, sub- [0 as described. i stantially as described.

4. The le s m connected to the top a by p 5 dovetailnot h andtenonnandfastening-spring I PETER SMITH 0, substantially as described. Witnesses:

5. The combination in a fall-breaker sus- DANIEL BEE K,

pending-bench, of the weighted cords ff and SARAH E. SWAN. 

